KC-135A Finished...
Tue Dec 05, 2006 9:07 am
Presenting...This is a AMT/Ertl 1/72 KC-135A Stratotanker. I started this one in March (actually I glued a few pieces together a couple years back, hehe). This is a "second chance" build of one I did years ago, that fell into disrepair.
Now to the kit...This probably has the most putty in it of any kit I've ever built (except for the last KC-135 which actually had Bondo in it..yes that Bondo ).
This bird was WaRpEd every which way except straight. Assembly went well except for the warping, filling, and sanding. Attaching the fuselage halves was a real chore.
Paint went well, and the decals are OK. Considering how much this one fought me I am happy with how it turned out...Now on to the pictures! (Note I see their was a nice smudge on the camera lense, didnt see it till I uploaded the pics, sorry.)
Comments are encougared, hehe.
In the last pic I included an F-8 Crusader I built many years ago. (painted by brush, thats how long ago, hehe) I figured it would add a bit to show the size of the -135.
Now to the kit...This probably has the most putty in it of any kit I've ever built (except for the last KC-135 which actually had Bondo in it..yes that Bondo ).
This bird was WaRpEd every which way except straight. Assembly went well except for the warping, filling, and sanding. Attaching the fuselage halves was a real chore.
Paint went well, and the decals are OK. Considering how much this one fought me I am happy with how it turned out...Now on to the pictures! (Note I see their was a nice smudge on the camera lense, didnt see it till I uploaded the pics, sorry.)
Comments are encougared, hehe.
In the last pic I included an F-8 Crusader I built many years ago. (painted by brush, thats how long ago, hehe) I figured it would add a bit to show the size of the -135.
Tue Dec 05, 2006 9:52 pm
with the price of av gas today you could fill that kc with about 10 bucks worth!! better call the pentagon & relieve us over burdened taxpayers in aerial refueling!! 
..... nice work too!!
..... nice work too!!
Mon Dec 11, 2006 10:57 am
Nice job on a tough build ... Have a few that I have started and need to be in the mood to work the problems it has.
Only comment I have is they tip of the tail should have the other style antenna with the refuling area light on the rear ...
http://www.marchfield.org/kc135tail.jpg
RJ
Only comment I have is they tip of the tail should have the other style antenna with the refuling area light on the rear ...
http://www.marchfield.org/kc135tail.jpg
RJ
Mon Dec 11, 2006 11:28 am
Good job on a not very commonly modeled subject!
Mon Dec 11, 2006 10:33 pm
f4phan wrote:Nice job on a tough build ... Have a few that I have started and need to be in the mood to work the problems it has.
Only comment I have is they tip of the tail should have the other style antenna with the refuling area light on the rear ...
http://www.marchfield.org/kc135tail.jpg
RJ
Either that or keep the tail as is and go with an early SAC bare-metal with Day-Glo orange bands scheme!
Nice work either way!
Tue Dec 12, 2006 9:39 am
Thanks again for looking everyone. This flying gas station is now hanging from my ceiling "refueling" by AMT/Ertl 1/72 B-52.
f4phan, good eye with the tail probe. I never noticed! The kit is straight out of the box anyway, so thats the way I built it.
Don Martin, I wouldve loved to do the SAC bare metal, but their is way to much putty in there! I actually chose to do the grey scheme early on, just a personal choice, but I agree the natural metal finish looks nice too.
f4phan, good eye with the tail probe. I never noticed! The kit is straight out of the box anyway, so thats the way I built it.
Don Martin, I wouldve loved to do the SAC bare metal, but their is way to much putty in there! I actually chose to do the grey scheme early on, just a personal choice, but I agree the natural metal finish looks nice too.
Tue Dec 12, 2006 7:54 pm
You did a fine job just as it is! As I always say about my own models, if they look good 5 feet, they are perfect! 
Don
Don
Sat Dec 16, 2006 9:41 pm
Looks good Dan!
And here I thought you only do WWII stuff!
George
And here I thought you only do WWII stuff!
George
Tue Dec 19, 2006 10:42 am
Thanks George.
I do prefer birds with propellers on the front, just think of this one as having many tiny propellers all lined up with each other...
I do prefer birds with propellers on the front, just think of this one as having many tiny propellers all lined up with each other...
Mon Jan 15, 2007 5:44 pm
Nice work! Always been fond of the 135...
Have you seen this 1/48 KC-135 kit a friend recently acquired?
Ever a sucker for a challenge he currently has a 1/48 vacform B-47 underway, and would be please to acquire a B-52. Oh, and he has a C-124 as well... I'd never get started on that lot, let alone finish...
Have you seen this 1/48 KC-135 kit a friend recently acquired?
Ever a sucker for a challenge he currently has a 1/48 vacform B-47 underway, and would be please to acquire a B-52. Oh, and he has a C-124 as well... I'd never get started on that lot, let alone finish...
Wed Jan 17, 2007 10:19 am
treadigraph wrote:Nice work! Always been fond of the 135...
Have you seen this 1/48 KC-135 kit a friend recently acquired?
Ever a sucker for a challenge he currently has a 1/48 vacform B-47 underway, and would be please to acquire a B-52. Oh, and he has a C-124 as well... I'd never get started on that lot, let alone finish...
I love big models! I have heard of the Vac. B-52, and 47. I didnt know a 135 was out.
I've built a 1/72 B-52, 1/48 B-29 and have a 1/72 B-36 and a 1/48 C-130 in my stash...
I prefer to stick to injection kits, Vac is a real art form that I dont think I would have the patience for
I'd love to see any pictures of the 1/48 Birds your friend has built. That Shackelton looks nice.
Wed Jan 17, 2007 1:40 pm
I think the 135 is quite an old kit - he got it from a US seller on ebay. He's also got a resin C-123, but it's a very poor casting - he suspects it was made using a vacform kit as a mould!
I'll get some links off him later, he posts on the ARC site. He's a whiz at churning them out!
He's showing me the vacform ropes with a 1/48 Aeroclub Gipsy Moth - not as hard as I'd feared, but even so! I have few other vacforms in the stash, but the biggest is an Anson XIX. I prefer injection as well (the B-29 is also in the stash!), also have a few resin kits.
Cheers,
Treadders
I'll get some links off him later, he posts on the ARC site. He's a whiz at churning them out!
He's showing me the vacform ropes with a 1/48 Aeroclub Gipsy Moth - not as hard as I'd feared, but even so! I have few other vacforms in the stash, but the biggest is an Anson XIX. I prefer injection as well (the B-29 is also in the stash!), also have a few resin kits.
Cheers,
Treadders
Tue Aug 07, 2007 12:01 am
What companies sell the large scale vacuform kits of the B-47, B-52, & 135?
Tue Aug 07, 2007 2:28 am
great job seeing it through.
And an under-appreciated bird for sure.
And an under-appreciated bird for sure.